Zinfandel is a notable part of California’s history, introduced during the
Gold Rush. It’s also a foundational grape in our own history as a winery as we’ve
harvested Zinfandel since 2002. We love older expressions of California Zinfandel
– lighter styles with vibrant acidity and inviting fruit, before it became too overly ripe
and high in alcohol. Our winemaking returns Zinfandel to its origins as a pleasing table
wine. Unlike the playful nature of our other Zinfandel wine, Vine Starr, our Wirth
Zinfandel is a more fruit concentrated expression from heritage vines. Organically
farmed in Solano County Green Valley (just east of Napa Valley), these older vines
produce lower yields that are highly concentrated, resulting in a wine with more depth
and structure. The grapes were destemmed with a little whole cluster sprinkled in open
top fermenters, with twice daily pumpovers. We aged the wine in neutral oak barriques
for eleven months. Can be aged up to 10 years (if you can resist).
FUN FACT: The Wirth Zinfandel vines are over 75 years old – planted in 1948. They are
dry farmed and thrive in iron rich soil.
